The Public Services Workers’ Union of the Trades Union Congress wants the government to ensure that base pay negotiations factor into the 2021 budget.

The union, which has expressed its disappointment over the government’s inability to agree on the 2021 base pay, had called for the engagement on their salary negotiations for the year 2021 before the budget statement on Friday.

The National Tripartite Committee is yet to agree on a minimum wage for workers and this is of concern to the union.

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, will be reading the government’s financial policy statement for the year tomorrow.

The General Secretary of the Public Services Workers’ Union, Bernard Adjei warned that the government should prepare for consequences if it fails to include the 2021 Base Pay in the 2021 Budget.

He complained to Citi News that there has been a lack of clarity in the matter ahead of the budget statement.

“Government would want to answer to how they will take care of it if later there is a decision on what the base pay should be because definitely, whatever the agreement will be at the end of the day, depending on its financial implications, it has to be catered for.”

“We’ve still not heard [from] the Public Service Joint Negotiating Committee where some of these issues are discussed.”

“So as to how the government intends to take care of it [we don’t know]. Otherwise, what workers or the public services workers union members are saying is that they would want their salaries negotiated for the year 2021,” Mr. Adjei said.

In an earlier statement, the union had urged the government to expedite action on the concerns being raised.

“Further hope that the Government of Ghana, being the major employer would expedite action on these matters before the presentation of the National Budget Statement in order to maintain the relative harmonious industrial atmosphere in the country.”